Bridezilla - The First Dance

Bridezilla first started to provoke excitement on the live scene over three years ago as a bunch of precociously talented school kids whose stage presence and mastery of their instruments was already mesmerising. Now, a little older (although still frighteningly young) and with a recent American tour under their belts, they follow up 2007’s EP with a debut full-length offering.

One of the appealing things about Bridezilla is that, despite many reference points, it is impossible to satisfactorily define their music. They dip in and out of jazz, folk, classical, and pop and have a love of Pavement, The Velvet Underground and Nancy Sinatra but their sound is entirely their own. Slithers of fragile light juxtapose powerful darkness in their thoughtfully-crafted arrangements, as violin, saxophone, guitar, drums and Holiday Carmen-Sparks’ nuanced vocal weave in and out of each other.

Heart You Hold is a perfect microcosm of Bridezilla’s sound, with brooding undertones and a measured build-up making way for a frenzied crescendo of duelling violin and sax. Similarly, White Feather starts dreamily, then takes a sinister turn with Carmen-Sparks ordering: “Fire, fire, fire/shoot to kill,” before the song climaxes in a thrilling cacophony of guitars and drums. Showing a different, more restrained dimension - which is apparent throughout the record - lead single Beaches woos the ears and Queen of Hearts has a really pretty melody.

The First Dance is an album of intelligence, depth and genuine beauty, and Bridezilla’s ability to create intriguing and unique music to this high standard at such a tender age suggests that they have the wherewithal to go on to be one of Australia’s most cherished musical exports.